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Saturday, 13 May 2017

502) Traditional Sarees of Tamilnadu: TANAPEX-2017 (Tamilnadu Philatelic Exhibition) at Chennai held from 05–08.01.2017: Special Cover released on Day I (05.01.2017): Kanchipuram, Arani & Thirubhuvanam Silk Sarees:

502)
Traditional Sarees of Tamilnadu: TANAPEX-2017 (Tamilnadu Philatelic Exhibition)
at Chennai held from 05–08.01.2017: Special Cover released on Day I
(05.01.2017): Kanchipuram, Arani & Thirubhuvanam Silk Sarees:

The Front of the Special Cover on “Traditional Silk Sarees of Tamilnadu”

The Front of the Special Cover shows traditional silk sarees of Tamilnadu on the left and is titled “Tamilnadu Ki Paramparagat Reshmi Sadiyan”
(in Hindi) and “Traditional Silk
Sarees of Tamilnadu” (in English). In the background is a faint picturisation
of two ladies discussing about silk sarees, perhaps at a shopping outlet with
one being a customer and the other a sales-person.

In the centre top is the
logo/emblem of the “Swacchh Bharat
Mission” with the slogan “Ek Kadam
Swachhta Ki Ore” (in Hindi – meaning “A step towards cleanliness”).

The Rs.5/- stamp is on the
Patna High Court issued in 2015. The Cancellation Hand-stamp is inscribed “Tamilnadu Ki Paramparagat Reshmi Sadiyan”
(in Hindi) and “Traditional Silk
Sarees of Tamilnadu” (in English). In the centre is a traditional
Tamilnadu saree showing the logo emblem of TANAPEX-2017. The cancellation is of
Chennai GPO and is dated “05.01.2017”.

The Back of the Special
Cover

The Back of the Special
Cover is inscribed: “Silk Saree Varieties of Tamilnadu”:

“The silk saree varieties
of Tamilnadu include Kanchipuram, Arani and Thirubhuvanam silk. In Kanchipuram,
(Kanchipuram district) silk sarees, the border, the body and the pallu (hanging
end of the saree) are woven separately and interlocked together which
differentiates it from others. A typical Arani (Thiruvannamalai district) silk
saree design has motifs depicting the rich cultural heritage and is made with
two different bodies on each side and two different pallus such that it can be
used as two sarees, In a Thirubhuvanam (Thanjavur district) silk saree, the
pallu is woven continuously on the loom and runs on from the body of the saree
which is very artistic and elaborate.”

“Courtesy: Director of
Handlooms and Textiles, Government of Tamilnadu”.

On the lower half is given
the logo of India Post (on the left) and the logo of TANAPEX 2017” (on the
right).

This is a type of silk
saree made in the Kanchipuram region of Tamilnadu, India.

The sarees are considered
to be the South Indian version of the traditional Banarasi sarees of present
day Varanasi (in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh). Kanchipuram silk has been
recognised as a Geographical indication by the Government of India in 2005-06.

More than 8,000 to 10,000
families are believed to be involved in this variety of saree production, with
around 50 silk and cotton yarn industries and 80-100 dyeing units in the
region.

According to Indian
mythology, Kanchi silk weavers are the descendants of Sage Markanda, the master
weaver of the Gods, who is believed to have woven tissue from lotus fibre.
Also, white cotton is considered to be the favourite fabric of the Hindu God
Shiva, while silk was preferred by Vishnu.

The sarees are woven from
pure mulberry silk thread which comes from South India, while the “zari” comes from the India state of
Gujarat. Three shuttles are employed to weave a Kanchipuram saree. The border
colour and design are usually quite different from that of the body. If the
pallu is woven in a different shade, it is separately woven and then delicately
joined to the saree (interlocked) in a zig-zag line.

The sari designs are
distinguished by their wide contrast borders. Temple borders, checks, stripes
and floral patterns are the traditional designs, which were inspired by images
and scriptures in South Indian temples or natural motifs like leaves, birds and
animals.

Kanchipuram sarees woven
with heavy silk and gold cloth are considered special and worn on important
occasions and festivities.

Arani
Silk Sarees:

These are traditional silk
sarees made in Arani, Tamilnadu India. Arani Sarees have been granted
Intellectual Property Rights Protection of Geographical Indication status by
the Government of India.

A unique feature of this
silk fabric is the innovative use of the half-half Arani silk saree which means
that it would have one colour or design on one half of the saree and the
remaining half would have one or more colours, designs, patterns or motifs, border
and pallu, with each half adorned differently. In other words, they would have
border and pallu on opposite ends of one side for the same fabric to be worn on
two occasions differently. Using this concept, Arani silk sarees have also included
the other side of the saree resulting in a saree with two half-half sarees in
different combinations of colours, design, pattern, border and pallu.

Thirubuvanam
Sarees:

Thirubuvanam, Thanjavur
district, in the Indian State of Tamilnadu, located near the Cauvery River has a
population, primarily of silk weavers. It is known as a manufacturing hub of
silk sarees and clothing material.

Hand woven silk sarees and
clothing materials in this ancient town have their traditionally popular
brands. Thirubhuvanam silk sarees from the Cauvery Delta Region are
particularly famous and sought after.

A local group called the “Thirubuvanam
Silk Handloom Weavers Cooperative Production and Sale Society Limited” was
started in 1955, which has at its main objective to preserve the art of
silk-weaving and uplifting the life of the artistically rich but economically
poor weavers of this region. With over 50 branches now, it has provided great
service to this effect so far.

A total 10 Special Covers issued during TANAPEX-2017:

The
Front of the jacket containing all the 10 Special Covers issued during
TANAPEX-2017, showing the images carried on all the Special Covers along
with the logos of TANAPEX-2017 and India Post

About Me

I am Rajeev Prasad, a retired State Bank of India officer who had been collecting coins in a shoe box without having a serious interest. Only after quitting my job I got the time to take serious interest in developing my coin collection into a hobby. A pity, because I would have had more opportunity to lay my hands on more 'exclusive coins' while in the Bank. Anyway, as they say,better late than never. If you have any views to share with me regarding this blog , please contact me on my email rajeevprasad1208@gmail.com. I also have a twitter account @prasad_rajeev.
I had an opportunity to participate in a Documentary on the life and times of the 25 paise coin titled “Chal Basi Chavanni” (The four anna/twenty five paise coin passes away), aired by STAR NEWS on 29th and 30th June 2011. The programme helped in making many persons hold back onto their “chavannis”, the little round beauties, instead of returning them to Banks .